In integrated circuit (IC) fabrication, semiconductor devices such as transistors may be formed on a semiconductor wafer or substrate, which is typically made of silicon. One type of device, a metal oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET) device, can be widely used in numerous applications, including automotive electronics, disk drives and power supplies. Generally, these devices function as switches, and they are used to connect a power supply to a load. The resistance of the MOSFET device should be as low as possible when the switch is closed. Otherwise, power is wasted and excessive heat may be generated.
One type of MOSFET, a trench MOSFET, is illustrated in FIG. 8. Gates 102 and 104 are formed in trenches and surrounded by gate oxide layers 106 and 108, respectively. The MOSFET device 100 can be formed in an N-epitaxial layer 110. A N+ source region 112 is formed at the surface of epitaxial layer 110. A P+ contact region 114 is also formed at the surface of epitaxial layer 110. A P-body region 116 is located below N+ source region 112 and P+ contact region 114. A metal source contact 118 contacts the source region 112 and shorts the source region 112 to the P+ contact region 114 and P body region 116.
The N-epitaxial layer 110 is formed on a substrate 120, and a drain contact 151 is located at the bottom of the substrate 120. The contact for the gates 102 and 104 is likewise not shown, but it is generally made by extending the conductive gate material outside of the trench and forming a metal contact at a location remote from the individual cells. The gate is typically made of phosphorus or boron doped polysilicon.
A region 111 of N-epitaxial layer 110 between the substrate 120 and the P body 116 is generally more lightly doped with N-type impurities than substrate 120. This increases the ability of MOSFET 100 to withstand high voltages. Region 111 is sometimes referred to as a “lightly doped” or “drift” region (“drift” referring to the movement of carriers in an electric field). Drift region 111 and substrate 120 constitute the drain of MOSFET 100.
One feature making the trench configuration attractive is that the current flows vertically through the channel of the MOSFET. This permits a higher cell density than other MOSFETs where the current flows horizontally through the channel and then vertically through the drain. Greater cell density generally means more MOSFETs can be manufactured per unit area of the substrate, thereby increasing the yield of the semiconductor device contains the trench MOSFET.